Aladdin (November 25, 1992)

This is one of my favorite Disney films- I have watched it countless times and I never tire of it. Having said that, I have never reviewed it with a critical eye so I will see if it holds up under more intense scrutiny. The film follows Aladdin, a street urchin who resorts to thieving to survive. She stumbles upon and falls in love with Princess, Jasmine, who snuck out of the palace and disguised herself as a common beggar. Later through a series of events, comes into the possession of a Genie (who he befriends) that can grant him three wishes. Aladdin decides to use his wishes to turn himself into a princess so he can win Jasmine’s hand and affection. Aladdin is a very charismatic and sympathetic leading man. He is an orphan without a friend in the world, save his pal monkey Abu. He falls head over heels for Jasmine but has to live a lie as a fake Prince because she, by law, can only marry a prince. He becomes entangled in a web of lies which inevitably unravel and almost destroy his budding relationship with Jasmine. Jasmine is a head strong princess who has been trapped in the palace by her dim and overprotective father, the Sultan. She wishes to be free from her cage so, one day, she works up the courage to run away from the palace. She has all the necessary qualities to make a good role model for little girls, but she is not given a logical reason for her bold personality. She is easily able to keep up with Aladdin in the streets and this incongruity is explained away with the claim that she is a fast learner. But it is never shown she is particularly studious. In fact, she seems very naïve. This is not to say it is not admirable to have a strong female character is a Disney movie, but it should be earned not simply a box to be checked off. Jafar is a perfectly evil villain who lusts for power and will do anything to achieve it. Next is Genie who is arguable the real star of the show. He is wonderful, owing in part to the spectacular voice acting of the late Robin Williams. He is larger than life, often breaking the fourth wall, with cutting remarks and laughs to spare. He also has a softer side and genuinely cares about “Al’ Aladdin. His animation is amazing with his fast pace transformations which add to his endearing qualities. In fact, the animation throughout the film is great, as Disney continues to improve each film. The only blemish is that the CGI in the film is not integrated well. This is particularly glaring in the cave of wonders. Lastly, the music in this film is phenomenal. From “One Jump Ahead” and its reprise which depicts the daily life of Aladdin to “Prince Ali” where Genie promotes Aladdin to Agrabah, attempting to cement his status as a prince, and finally the iconic “A Whole New World.” They all add to the film in unique ways and stay in your head for days afterwards! Overall, Aladdin, despite its flaws, fantastic and well worth repeated viewings.

Final Rating: 8/10